Scholars to Examine Gender Roles, Bible, Culture

paganpantheist »

Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:28 am Agree: 4   Disagree: 2

"Are Men from Mars and Women from Venus?" nice Pagan name for a Christian conference.

my marriage is one of equals. we both have careers, and share child-rearing and housework. we are not the same, and tend to divide the work based on aptitude and affinity for the work at hand. i do more of the physically challenging jobs, but my wife is no shrinking violet.

decision making is by concensus. we have similar values, personalities and tastes; so we don"t often disagree. when we do, we"ll talk, and usually the person who feels more strongly about the issue will guide the decision. in some areas i"m the expert, in some, she is. submission goes both ways with us. we do not follow Paul"s guidance on marriage..

love, respect and communication are the foundation for our marriage.

bryan: re: the woman to work outside the home and the husband to care for the child - what if that was the husband"s choice?

Ex-Worship Leader: Why I Left the CCM Movement

paganpantheist »

Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:51 pm Agree: 2   Disagree: 1

when musicians began singing in harmony, some thought polyphony was a tool of the devil - distracting the followers from the beautiful, text-centered chant.

for me, making music is one of my most fruitful paths for experiencing the divine. it's hard to beat palestrina.

i don't agree with catagorically shutting out a whole genre, but i don't think i have a vote in the matter.

back to the drum circle with me.

Survey: 1 in 3 Scientists Believe in God

paganpantheist »

Mon Jul 20, 2009 11:55 am Agree: 0   Disagree: 0

what's up with the flag-o-matic?

anyway . . . i'm a physician (i think that counts as scientist) maybe my polytheism will balance out some of the athiests.

as some have already pointed out, if someone believes in god, it's not necessarily your god - depending on your point of view.

Vatican-Backed Newspaper Hails Latest 'Harry Potter' Film for 'Values'

paganpantheist »

Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:47 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

BTW - regarding Exodus 22:18, the Hebrew word "Chaspah" doesn't mean witch, but means "poisoner," so you are not biblically bound to murder me. Good King James got a bit creative to bend the Bible to his own ends.

Vatican-Backed Newspaper Hails Latest 'Harry Potter' Film for 'Values'

paganpantheist »

Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:37 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 1

I like the HP books, I've seen a few of the movies, and they are OK. What they portray is pretty far removed from the world of witcraft in real life. A broom is useful for cleansing a circle, but I've yet to see anyone try to fly with one. Wands can direct psychic energy, but not shoot fireballs.

I can't find any references to the feminine/masculine duality of the divine, pentagrams, circles, or celebration of Esbats or Sabbats in the world of Harry Potter, all of which are important in Wicca.

Wicca is a growing religion, but in total, Neopagans are about 0.5% of the population. We do not "want your children." If they choose the path when they are of age, good for them, but most covens will not allow minors to join. Paganism is a large umbrella, and there are many different paths, but generally Pagans frown on cohersion to belief, evangelisation or trying to lure minors.

Gay Marriages Now Recognized in D.C.

paganpantheist »

Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:29 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

beleiver: I understand where you are coming from, as my beliefs are important to me also - and I can't "turn off" my world-view. My problem is with basing laws solely on religious grounds. That is dangerous.

Yahweh told the people "you shall have no other gods before me." - does this mean we should pass a law that all people must follow Yahweh, and no Gods before him? I'd hate to give up Apollo.

Or to take on another aspect of marriage laws, do you campaign to reform divorce laws to reflect 1 Corinthians 7:39?

It is not that I do not support laws that are supported by teaching of faith traditions, but I cannot support laws ONLY justified by a religious point of view.

And religious reasons are the only ones I hear put forward for denying same sex couples the right to enter into the legal maritial relationship.

Gay Marriages Now Recognized in D.C.

paganpantheist »

Thu Jul 09, 2009 6:33 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

r4h: resorting to name-calling and lies?
your arguments are truly withering and intellectually sound.

it's deeply repectful for a supposed person of faith to take a reference to the divine ('pantheist') and corrupt it to an milquetoast juvenile insult.


I still haven't heard any sound reason to outlaw same-sex marriage except "my God doesn't like it"

Gay Marriages Now Recognized in D.C.

paganpantheist »

Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:17 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

"The United States constitution reads in black and white defining 'marriage is between a man and a woman'"

really? not in my copy. not a word about marriage.
you know what it does say, though,

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"
and
"no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office"

Gay Marriages Now Recognized in D.C.

paganpantheist »

Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:10 am Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

PF1:"Notice how many atheists and other anti-Christians rally to Gays and Lesbians."

if you're referring to me, i'm un-Christian, but not anti-Christian. i wish all people love and wisdom on their chosen spiritual paths.

i don't think it is constitutional for the christian majority to use the government machine to spread their religion. ditto for islam, buddism, zoroastrianism or paganism. this is not a theocracy.

R4H - it's like talking to a brick wall. despite any fantasies one may hold on to, children and dogs can't consent.

any takers for a non-religious argument against same sex marriage?

and for those of you who argue that "the gays" will force a church to marry them - try marrying a divorcee in a catholic church. churches can marry or not marry whomever they like. it's the civil and legal marriage rights that matter to me.

Gay Marriages Now Recognized in D.C.

paganpantheist »

Wed Jul 08, 2009 4:23 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 1

i don't think you understood my point. there are non-religious sound ethical reasons why beastiality and pedophilia are wrong - consent.

consent matters. it's the difference between sex and rape. children and animals cannot give consent. even in other cultures, it's still wrong, from a humanist non-religious standpoint. just because some cultures do something doesn't mean it's ethically right. child marriage is a violation of basic human rights.

i'm still waiting for the non-religious reason to prevent same sex marriage.

Gay Marriages Now Recognized in D.C.

paganpantheist »

Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:53 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 2

rolln, i think your interpretation is wrong. though i strongly believe that sexual orientation is inborn, that is not the basis for my support of same-sex marriage. to me, it's a question of equal protection, and i cannot find a logical, ethical argument against it. "my God doesn't like it" or "it's just wrong" don't hold water legally for me.

beastiality and pedophilia both force parties unable to give consent into relationships that require consent - ethically wrong. pretty easy argument, and we don't need to institute theocracy.

i don't have an issue with polygamy, if all people are choosing that lifestyle with free will. In practice though, there often is unethical coersion. But it worked for Abraham, Jacob, David and Solomon.


fundamentally, the majority voting on rights for a minority is a dangerous proposition. i suspect many a proposal put on the ballot to discriminate against minority religions would pass.

Richard Dawkins Jumps the Shark

paganpantheist »

Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:43 pm Agree: 3   Disagree: 0

From the Camp Quest website:
"Are campers at Camp Quest required to be atheists?

No. Campers at Camp Quest are encouraged to think for themselves and are not required to hold any particular view. We do emphasize critical and scientific thinking over faith though."

I really don't see how creating a "religion-free" camp shows insecurity any more than creating a religion-promoting camp.

We Pagans have Spiral Scouts and plenty of summer outdoor gatherings. These seem like signs of growing, not declining, movements.

Diseases: Creations of God or 'Intelligent Evil'?

paganpantheist »

Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:33 pm Agree: 3   Disagree: 0

these hairs are hard to split from this take on the Christian theological perspective:

E. coli in our guts, making vitamin K = God's Creation
E. coli in our bloodstream, killing us = Satan's Corruption

Are germs killing humans that different from say, a lion taking down a gazelle? Is the lion the work of Satan since it kills another animal? Or is a lion an agent of Satan if it kills a human?

How about cancers arising from the human body? Are tumors caused by genetic mutations induced by Satan? Strange to my ears.